


The Hunters

by archfire



Category: Homestuck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-30
Updated: 2013-03-11
Packaged: 2017-11-27 14:22:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/662998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archfire/pseuds/archfire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Karkat's lusus was killed when he was very young. He has been seeking revenge for his entire life. His life changes on that fateful day. The day Sollux takes him on the most important hunt of his existence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Yarga

Chapter 1  
Karkat opened the door slowly. He crept inside and cringed as a floorboard creaked. A light clicked on in the kitchen, he swore to himself.  
"Finally coming home Karkat?" His lusus said from the other room.  
"Uh, dad I can explain-"  
"I don't want to hear it Karkat." His lusus said angrily.  
"I am disappointed in you, you are grounded for two weeks."  
"Two weeks!? Come on dad I only-"  
"You said you'd be home 5 hours ago Karkat, get to bed."  
"Well FUCK YOU!"  
Karkat grumbled to himself as he stomped up the stairs. He plopped into his bed and whipped out his phone.

TA: What'2 your 2tatu2?  
CG: GROUNDED  
TA: 2uck2, 2orry we left the party late.  
CG: IT'S NO PROBLEM, ILL JUST SNEAK OUT.

Just then Karkat heard a crash downstairs. He ran down the steps just in time to see his lusus dragged outside by a winged ghoul. He froze on the steps fear in his eyes. He called Sollux.  
"You need to get over here NOW." He clicked the phone shut.

12 years later...

Karkat ducked behind a broken wall, reloading his shotgun. Pistol bullets flew over his head. One grazed his brow. These damn Breeders, always with the pistols. Karkat dove to another cover, unloading three shots before ducking away again. He saw Sollux, pinned down behind a pillar with nowhere to go. The Breeders were closing in on him. Karkat looked at his belt. He picked out a particularly menacing shuriken. He flicked his wrist and it flew at the pack of Breeders. It exploded half of them dropped to the floor. Sollux took advantage of the opportunity and jumped out from behind the pillar. He unloaded both of his pistol clips, alternating blue and red into the crowd. Karkat jumped out and shot, unloading twelve shots at the Breeders. When the smoke cleared the broken down storehouse was empty again, only Karkat and Sollux were left alive. Karkat faltered, the cut on his brow was bleeding profusely and he was losing a lot of blood. Sollux caught him and helped him to the van. Cool water droplets hit Karkat's face.  
"Thats just fucking perfect, it's raining."  
Sollux chuckled to himself "Only you would complain about the weather right now KK."  
Sollux sat him in the passenger seat.  
"I'll drive." Sollux said in a commanding tone.  
"Whatever."  
They drove for hours before they made it to their small apartment. In the back of the van Sollux patched up Karkat's head. They stumbled upstairs and collapsed on the couch. Sollux clicked on the TV.  
"In other news today, gunfire was heard in an abandoned warehouse on 42nd avenue."  
"Two trolls were seen leaving the scene."  
"Eh, Karkat they're talking about us." Sollux said with a smile on his face.  
Karkat stared at him with cold eyes until his smile faded.  
"Jeez, just trying to lighten the mood."  
Karkat got up and went to his bedroom. He said nothing to Sollux that night, he was too tired. He slept until sunlight filled the cracks in his blinds. He walked out into the living room to find Sollux making breakfast. Steaming chocolate chip pancakes sat waiting for him on a plate. He dug in with vigor.  
"Hey, KK."  
"Yeush?" He said, his mouth full of pancakes.  
"There's been some missing children in Neta. They are found in pieces three days later."  
"A Yarga." Karkat breathed.  
"Yeah, we should head out at noon. I put your shotgun away last night so go get it."  
Karkat entered the living room and moved towards the linen closet. He opened the door and stepped inside. He stubbed his toe on a broken floorboard.  
"SHIT!"  
"Everything all right?" Sollux asked, barely holding in laughter.  
"Shut up."  
Karkat opened a small compartment in the wall and punched in a code. The left wall of the linen closet opened into a secret weapon room. Rifles and shotguns lined the walls. Sollux had his pistols lined up, polished to a gleam. Karkat snorted and picked up his favorite shotgun, "homes smell ya later". He slung a rifle over his shoulder and strode put into the living room once more.  
"What's that for?" Sollux asked gesturing to the rifle.  
"Just in case."  
Sollux just shrugged and finished his breakfast. They walked to the van at quarter to twelve. Karkat slumped into the driver's seat.  
"I'm driving today."  
Sollux sat in the passenger seat and smiled. Karkat glared back and twisted the key in the ignition. Something in the hood clanged.  
"FUCK!"  
"Whoa KK calm the fuck down. Let's just take a look and see what's up."  
Sollux walked to the hood of the van and lifted it up.  
Black smoke hit him in the face. Now Sollux was pissed.  
"SHIT!"  
Sollux was mumbling to himself as he walked back to the van.  
"We're going to have to take it to Equius." Sollux said absentmindedly.  
"Fuck, I hate Equius." Karkat whined.  
"Get over it Karkat, unless you don't want to take the best lead we've ever found to catch the Yarga that killed your lusus." Sollux said with raised eyebrows.  
"Fine we'll go see Equius." Karkat sighed.  
Equius was sitting at his workbench in the middle his dingy little workshop. He was tinkering with a small artifice. He glanced up as Karkat and Sollux strode through his door.  
"And what can I help you two with?" He said with a fake smile.  
"Our van broke down." Karkat said.  
"And?" Equius said smugly.  
"We need your......help." Karkat finally managed to choke out.  
"Well I'll get to it then. Oh and that'll be $500."  
"$500!? You haven't even-"  
"I'll take care of it." Said a regal voice in the background.  
A tall figure stepped out of the shadows. His hair spiked into the air with a defiant purple streak. He had a long cape the flowed behind him as he walked. He swung his purple scarf in a supercilious manner.  
"Who are you?" Karkat asked, red in the face.  
"Call me Dualscar." He said.  
"Um, ok... Why are you helping us?" Sollux asked suspicious.  
"My girl wants me to be better, so why not."  
"Your girl?"  
"Her name is Feferi. We hunt together, you want to meet her?"  
"Well Equius needs a bit for the car so why not."  
Karkat eyed Sollux warily.  
"Don't worry about it KK."  
They stepped out of the shop, the door jingling behind them. Dualscar waved across the dirt driveway. He ran, heat coming up off the dirt behind him. Karkat pulled his trench coat closer to him.  
"How do you wear that in this weather?" Sollux asked gesturing to his own tank top and jeans.  
"I'm a cold blooded killer." Karkat said in his best batman voice.  
Dualscar opened the door of his truck to let out a tall dark haired troll. She had bright pink goggles on. She smiled at them and then turned to Dualscar in a second with an angry look. She was gesturing at them and waving her arms around. She looked back at them with a meek smile and ran up to them quickly.  
"Hey, I'm Fef."  
"I'm Karkat, and this is Sollux."  
"Well, what are you two doing here?" She asked politely.  
"Our van broke down and Equius is fixing it." Sollux said nonchalantly.  
"Oh, well where were you headed?"  
"We were going after a Yarga in Neta." Karkat said trying to remind Sollux of why they had to hurry.  
"NO WAY!" Feferi exclaimed.  
"That's where we're going! We just need some gas."  
"IM DONE." Equius yelled from across the lot.  
"We should go together." Dualscar suggested.  
"Ok." Sollux agreed quickly.  
Karkat looked at him sideways.  
"We'll follow you guys. We don't really know where we're going." Feferi admitted.  
Karkat hopped into the driver's seat and turned the key again. The engine roared to life and Karkat cheered. And then slammed the gas. They sped out of the garage with Feferi and Dualscar in hot pursuit. Karkat turned to Sollux.  
"You have a crush on her."  
"What!?" Sollux exclaimed getting red in the face.  
"You agreed too readily to them following us, and you acted cooler than usual around her. Don't think I don't know my best friend."  
"Let's just drive."  
They drove for three hours listening to a romcom on a CD Karkat always kept on hand. Sollux just put his earplugs in and slept. Karkat brought the car to a complete stop on the border of Neta. He slapped Sollux across face to wake him.  
"WHAT THE FUCK MAN!?"  
Karkat just chuckled to himself and hopped out of the car. He opened the trunk of his car and pulled out the rifle and his shotgun. He clipped his tool belt around his waist and walked to Dualscar's truck. He banged on the hood and Dualscar's head popped out of the window.  
"We are going to head for the forest."  
"How do you know so much about Yargas?" Dualscar asked.  
"Don't ask." Karkat said coldly.  
Dualscar and Feferi exited their truck and got their weapons out. Dualscar hefted a sniper rifle out of his truck bed.  
"I call this baby Ahab's Crosshairs." Dualscar said with a smile.  
Feferi rolled her eyes and hopped out of the truck carrying an AK-47. She kissed Dualscar on the cheek and walked down the path to talk to Sollux. Karkat stared at the forest, savoring every moment of this hunt.  
"Let's move!"  
They crept through the forest ever so slowly. Karkat took a cube out of his tool belt and threw it on the ground. It expanded into a camouflaged tent. He passed another cube to Dualscar.  
"For you and Fef."  
They waited for hours until a report came in over the radio that another child was missing from their bedroom.  
Karkat inhaled sharply "It's on the move."  
They all jumped out of their tents and searched the sky. Dualscar saw the Yarga carrying a child through the sky. They tracked it to a dark cave.  
"What do we do?" Dualscar asked.  
"This." Karkat strode right into the cave.  
Sollux shrugged. "He's certifiably insane."  
They all followed. As they walked further and further into the cave they began to smell rancid meat. Bones crunched under their feet. The smell grew stronger till Dualscar and Feferi were gagging. Karkat gave them both gas masks.  
"Why don't you two need them?" Feferi asked.  
"We have visited countless Yarga lairs before this, you get used to it." Sollux said smiling.  
They reached a dark cavern. Karkat brought 6 glow sticks from his tool belt and cracked them over his knee. He threw them into the middle of the cavern and it lit up like a blazing bonfire. Standing at the far end of the room was a shriveled old creature. It had black skin that seemed to be covered in oil. It had a long beak that dripped with a black fluid. It's eyes glowed yellow while it fixed them with a piercing look. It's long black wings looked as though they were torn off a bat. Karkat picked up his rifle and fired 5 shots, ripping holes in its wings. It tried to take off, but too much air flowed through the holes. Feferi charged it firing shots quick and precise. Dualscar fired his sniper over Fef's shoulders distracting the beast. Karkat threw a flash grenade at the Yarga. The disoriented Yarga lashed out, catching Feferi across the face with its tail. She was splayed unconscious on the floor. Dualscar ran to her, disregarding his own safety. The Yarga lunged at him, but Sollux unloaded a clip of red bullets into its side. Karkat charged the beast, shotgun pellets flying. The Yarga was caught in the chest with one of his shots. It leapt away from Karkat and landed next to Dualscar. It turned and shoved its oily claw into his stomach. He gasped and looked down as it tore its claw from his torso. He sank to his knees, tears streaming down his face. The Yarga hesitated, staring into Dualscar's eyes. Karkat took advantage of this moment and shot the Yarga in the back of its head. Black fluid dribbled from the Yarga as it crumpled to the ground. Karkat stood there breathing heavily. He looked at its right wing, searching for a white gash. The only thing he saw as his lusus struggling against the Yarga that night. There was no gash.  
"This isn't the right one." Karkat said his voice trembling.  
He clenched his fists.  
"DAMNIT!"  
He bagan to stomp on the beast's head, crushing it with his steel toed boots. Then he bent down and began beating the corpse. Feferi groaned and sat up. She saw Dualscar, looking at his bloody hands. Black and purple flowed from the wound in his stomach. She ran to him.  
"ERIDAN!" She shrieked.  
She caught him as his eyelids fluttered. Her hands pressing the wound, trying to stall the bleeding. She was whimpering.  
"No no no no no no no." She was hyperventilating.  
Eridan grabbed at her shirt.  
"Fef..." He whispered.  
Feferi gasped and immediately bent over to hear his words.  
"Feferi...I love you." Eridan rasped.  
"NO!" she buried her face in his shirt.  
He embraced her. She sobbed and gripped him tighter. She pulled away and looked at his face. She pulled off her gasmask. Eridan's fell off, battle ridden as it was. She kissed him, He just smiled at her and then slumped in her arms.  
"No....." She whispered.  
Karkat was still beating the corpse until Sollux pulled him off of it.  
"KARKAT!" He shouted into Karkat's face.  
Karkat snapped out of his rage and looked at Sollux with shock. Sollux let him go, and Karkat looked at his hands. They looked painted black in the Yarga's blood, with slivers of red where Karkat cut himself on the Yarga's broken skull. Karkat stalked from the chamber, leaving Sollux alone with grief ridden Feferi. Sollux walked over to her and helped her up. He picked up Eridan's cold corpse and Feferi picked up his sniper. They left the chamber in silence. Karkat was sitting against the van. Sollux placed Eridan in the back of the van, black and purple staining his shirt. Feferi hugged him. Sollux looked at her in surprise, and then sank into the embrace. Karkat hopped in the driver's seat.  
"You two coming?" He asked, bitterness evident in his voice.  
Sollux and Feferi jumped up.  
"Can I ride with you guys?" Feferi asked.  
"What about the truck?" Sollux asked confused.  
"I'm gonna leave it." She sighed.  
"Eridan was gonna get rid of it anyways."  
She hopped in the back of the van and Sollux hopped in after her. Karkat slammed on the gas, hurrying to get home. Neta eventually disappeared over the horizon. Karkat sighed in relief, but he never noticed the mangled face that stared after them.


	2. Unrest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Karkat and Sollux's friendship withstand the weathering of unrest?

Chapter 2  
Karkat threw his shotgun down on the floor.  
"Another fruitless kill." He said with disdain.  
It had been 3 months since the Yarga in Neta and Karkat wasn't feeling any better. Sollux came in with Feferi, she was laughing. That was the only way to get her to smile these days. Sollux looked up at Karkat in surprise.  
"When did you get back?" He asked.  
Karkat had been hunting alone these days. Feferi needed someone and she didn't want to hunt after what happened to Eridan. Karkat plopped down on their old beat up couch.  
"Just now actually, you didn't see me pull in?"  
"No, we didn't." Sollux said.  
Karkat propped his feet up on their small coffee table and clicked the remote.  
"The Grafe wasn't too much trouble. Just one shot and it was down."  
Karkat decided not to mention the huge gash on his arm where the Grafe bit him. His trench coat concealed it anyways, and he didn't want Sollux to feel bad about leaving him to hunt alone.  
"So what went on while I was gone?" Karkat asked, trying to change the subject.  
"Well Fef took me to this great restaurant that serves trolls." He said with a smile on his face.  
Discrimination still existed in this world, so a good restaurant that served trolls was a rarity.  
"Anyways, nothing else that diverted from the normal routine."  
"You mean sex?" Karkat said in a bored tone.  
Sollux looked taken aback, and Feferi looked utterly horrified.  
"What!? What the hell Karkat!?"  
"Oh please Sol, don't think I'm a moron just cause I left for a week. I see the way you look at each other, they way you are around each other. Feferi's dying for comfort and you're only too happy to give it to her."  
Sollux's face turned red and Karkat stood. He picked up his shotgun and pushed past Sollux out the door.  
"FUCK YOU KARKAT!"  
Karkat just shook his head. He was angry with Sollux and he was sick of hiding it. After 12 years, 12 YEARS, Sollux just checks out. WHAT THE HELL? Like Feferi's the only one with problems, if Sollux wants to choose her over him then Karkat didn't care. He just needed to get away from them. He hopped into the van and took off down the road, he didn't know where, maybe the hospital. He drove for hours, not even listening to a romcom. He eventually decided to pull into the hospital to get his bite looked at, it was burning like hell. He left his shotgun in the car, but still took his tool belt. He strode into the hospital, fixing his attention on the reception desk.  
"I need to get an injury looked at." He said quickly.  
The woman looked up.  
"Oh, you're a troll. You'll need to go to the back and see Dr. Nitram."  
"Thanks."  
Karkat stepped into Dr. Nitram's office.  
"Dr. Nitram?"  
A troll with large bull horns looked up from a book and saw Karkat standing there.  
"Oh, hello. Just call me Tavros."  
"Ok Dr.-Tavros. I need you to look at a bite."  
"From what might I ask?"  
"A Grafe." Karkat replied calmly.  
Tavros jumped up at this.  
"I need to see it immediately."  
He rushed Karkat from the office and into an examination room. Karkat pulled up his sleeve to reveal a bright red bite. It was festering and the arm swelled up to twice its normal size. Tavros gasped. He ran to a cabinet and quickly filed through at least 300 syringes and picked up a particularly menacing looking purple one.  
"Oh-I don't do needles."Karkat stammered.  
But Tavros was too quick for him. He grabbed Karkat's arm in an iron grip and jammed the needle in. He quickly drained the syringe as Karkat screamed.  
"FUCK!"  
Karkat's arm immediately shrunk to a normal size.  
"Don't use it for a day or two and you should be fine." Tavros said calmly.  
"Thanks." Karkat said quickly.  
Karkat exited the hospital to heavy rains. He crossed around back to get to his van. Some humans came out into the lamplight.  
"Hey, look at the troll."  
"Get the fuck out of our parking lot scum."  
Karkat tried pushing through, but they shoved him back into the center of the light. Rain was flowing off his coat in tiny rivers. One of them threw a punch, but Karkat blocked it with his good arm and kicked him in the balls. Another threw a kick that Karkat stopped with his shin. He swept the human's legs and he cracked his head on the concrete. More humans kept coming, Karkat kicked one in the face and punched another in the stomach. He turned to punch another, but he used his bitten arm and a sharp pain shot up his arm. This gave one of them an opportunity to sock him in the gut. He doubled over and another kicked him in the side of the head. He fell to the ground and they all started kicking him on the ground. In the face, stomach, back. Karkat gave up. Just then a crazed voice boomed through the air.  
"GET THE MOTHERFUCK AWAY OF HIM!"  
A clown faced troll came out of the shadows carrying a crowbar and a club. Some humans broke off to deal with him, but he lashed out faster than the eye could follow and caved one of their heads in. He ran at them and leapt, swinging both of his weapons and killing another two humans. Karkat saw the troll dispatch five more people before he blacked out. He woke up in the back of his van. The clown faced troll was driving. Karkat looked down to see all of his injuries were patched up.  
"I took you back to Tavros before we set off."  
"Who the hell are you?" Karkat asked.  
"I'm Gamzee motherfuckin Makara. Nice to motherfuckin meet you."  
"Umm...ok. I'm Karkat Vantas, thanks I guess."  
"No motherfuckin problem bro. What's your address?"  
"I don't want to go home right now. You got a place?"  
"Yeah, you want to go there?" Gamzee asked.  
"Yeah."  
They pulled into Gamzee's driveway. Gamzee had a sizeable home, with a garage. His front door opened into a large foyer with a chandelier and a large spiral staircase. Behind the foyer was a huge living room with a flat screen TV that was surrounded by a semicircle of couches. Gamzee threw Karkat's keys into a bowl in the foyer.  
"You live alone?" Karkat's voice echoed through the house.  
"Of motherfuckin course."  
"Hmm."  
Karkat kept his shotgun on hand, after the event in the parking lot he wasn't going anywhere without it. He shuddered at the thought of what would've happened if Gamzee hadn't shown up. It's strange how in a world where supernatural beings are waiting to kill you around every corner, you can still be in danger from the most mundane things.  
"Can I crash on your couch tonight?"  
"That would be a motherfuckin miracle."  
"Cool."  
Karkat woke up to a troll in his face. She vaguely resembled a cat. He jumped.  
"AH! Who the hell are you?"  
"Just a friend of Gamzee's. You look funny when you sleep."  
Karkat was shaken up. After the night before he didn't trust anyone.  
"So what's your name?" She asked with a smile.  
"Karkat Vantas, and you?"  
"Nepeta Leijon." She said, feigning an official voice.  
"You sound so formal." She laughed afterwards.  
"Oh, sorry."  
"Nothing to be sorry about Karkitty." She giggled.  
"What? What was that?"  
"Whatefur do you mean?" She said sounding innocent.  
"That name, what was it."  
"It's your nickname, I'm dimming down the formalities."  
"I don't think I like that name."  
"Too late, I already chose it." She smiled.  
Karkat groaned and sat up. Nepeta plopped down next to him on the couch. Gamzee hopped down the steps 7 at a time. He landed and stood up like he landed a vault jump, and then collapsed laughing. Nepeta looked over at him.  
"Sleepyhead's awake."  
"THAT is a motherfuckin miracle, I thought he was dead."  
"He was OUT." Nepeta sympathized.  
"Uh, right here."  
"Oh, sorry we were blathering on. Want to go hunting?"  
Karkat was taken aback.  
"You guys hunt?"  
"Who doesn't these days?" Nepeta said casually.  
"Huh, well in that case sure. You guys got a target?"  
"Well we heard about some destruction in Feran."  
"Sounds interesting, let's go." Karkat jumped off the couch and clipped on his tool belt. He checked each pocket. He had his blessed steel knives, his extra bullets, his bullets for Sollux. He paused at those. Sollux... his face hardened. He couldn't think about that bastard anymore. He was out of one thing. His quartz rope darts.  
"One sec guys. I need more quartz rope darts."  
Gamzee glanced up at him.  
"I got some extra right here."  
Gamzee tossed him a box. Karkat opened it and saw 12 darts.  
"Thanks man." He popped them into his last pockets.  
Karkat looked up and saw Gamzee dressed in a black motorcycle suit with purple stripes. Nepeta was strapping on some hiking boots with snap out knives. She smiled at him as she caught him staring. Her green trench coat was lying on the couch. She picked it up and swung it over her shoulders and strode out the door. Gamzee followed in suit. Karkat quick checked his gear and then followed them out the door, closing it with a thunk. Gamzee hopped on a motorcycle, which explained the outfit mystery. Nepeta was in the passenger seat of the van. He shook his head, chuckling. He just sat in the driver's seat and punched the gas. He took a sharp right, with Gamzee following close behind.  
"Hey Nepeta?" He asked his eyes on the road.  
"Yeah?"  
"Are you and Gamzee an item?"  
"Me and Gamzee?"  
"Well there's no other car in the driveway so..."  
"No, we're just good friends." She laughed.  
"Me and Gamzee...." She shook her head in disbelief.  
"Does that mean you'd be open to dinner sometime?"  
Nepeta was completely surprised. She then blushed and turned away.  
"Oh, if you don't want to then-"  
"I would love to!" She yelled hastily.  
She hugged Karkat and giggled.  
"Whoa! Driving!" Karkat yelled laughing.  
"Oops." Nepeta smiled.  
Karkat never felt so good. He felt sad when they reached their destination, he loved talking to Nepeta. He hopped out of the car and walked over to Gamzee.  
"Let's go into town and see what we can find out."  
Nepeta hopped out of the car, pulling something out of her coat that Karkat had never seen before.  
"What are those?" He asked intrigued.  
"Oh these? These are some special weapons I had custom made. They clip on like my old claws, but they aren't claws. There are three funnels lining each knuckle, see? Well when I pull this clamp it shoots three bullets from the funnels, they can be used in close range fighting to punch and shoot. They are a onetime use so I always carry my new adamantine claws with me."  
"That's amazing." Karkat said in awe.  
Nepeta blushed again.  
"Thanks."  
"If you two lovebirds are done." Gamzee drawled.  
Karkat began walking to the town. Gamzee smiled at Nepeta, baring his teeth. She laughed and started skipping after Karkat. Karkat found the nearest bar. He walked in and attracted a lot of attention. Nepeta ran in and smiled at everyone in the bar. She turned around and whispered to Karkat.  
"What are you doing?" she asked.  
"I don't know, Sollux usually did the talking."  
"I'll handle it."  
Nepeta walked up to the barkeep holding Karkat's hand.  
"Hello." She said smiling endearingly.  
"We are looking for a place to stay and were wondering if there was anywhere we should avoid."  
"Well there been some reports of disappearances up the road on 4th Avenue." The bartender answered.  
"Purrfect!" Nepeta squealed.  
She then turned quickly and strode out the door. Karkat follow quickly, wanting to escape the angry glares. Gamzee was waiting outside, leaning against the wall.  
"We're heading up the road until we hit 4th Avenue." Nepeta said, pleased with herself.  
"Sounds motherfuckin perfect." He smiled back.  
As they started walking up the street Karkat got curious.  
"What do you guys think it's going to be?" He asked them.  
"Probably a Feror, killing people and feeding them to its guardian. Whatever that's going be." Gamzee said.  
"Probably."  
The conversation faded into silence and they heard a crash down the alleyway. Nepeta was the to react, bounding after it like a cat after a mouse. Karkat whipped out shotgun and Gamzee took out his crowbar, dried blood was still caked on it from the night before. They took off, but were stopped by Nepeta before they rounded the corner. She held a finger to her lips, jerking her head at the next alley. Karkat peeked around the corner to see a grotesque creature. It had the head of an unfed dog, with gray skin stretched over sunken cheeks. It had long hind legs, like that of a wolf. It had long arms that were tipped with long spindly fingers and jagged claws. It picked up a dead women, her face was cut with a deep gash. Gamzee was about to attack, his anger boiling over when Karkat pulled him aside.  
"We have to follow it to its guardian, or this won't stop." He whispered harshly.  
Gamzee grudgingly agreed. The Feror was moving slowly, constantly checking for followers. The three of them followed at least an alley behind the creature. But once the Feror reached the edge of town it broke into a sprint, running straight for the forest. They were barely able to keep it in sight as they gave chase. Finally it ducked to the side, into a small clearing. They cut across early so they could stay in cover. They all ducked behind trees while the Feror called its guardian. The woman's body was laying on the ground, mangled and broken. Karkat knew the Feror would bolt as soon as the fighting began, so he pulled out a rope dart. He crept to the path the Feror used to enter the clearing and threw the dart into the opposite trunk. He then tied the loose end of the dart around the tree he was standing next to. Then he made his way back to his comrades. Just as he reached his tree the clearing shook. A huge figure moved into the clearing. It had a bloated stomach and a bald head. Its arms were those of a massive gorilla. Its legs were stubby so it moved very slowly. Nepeta gasped. A MARG!? What the hell!? They expected a tough creature, but this was just unfair. The Marg must have heard Nepeta's gasp so it swung a massive arm towards their trees. They all dove away, but Karkat had been leaning over to tell Nepeta his plan. He couldn't get away fast enough and his leg was trapped under a fallen tree. Nepeta ran to him.  
"SHIT! Karkat are you okay?"  
He just looked at her and wrenched his leg from under the tree, ripping off skin like wrapping paper and exposing the muscle beneath. The Feror noticed the battle and ran, just as Karkat predicted. Gamzee saw it running and cursed. He was about to chase after when its head was ripped off. It had run into the wire of the rope dart, severing its head. Karkat stood, and threw a blessed silver knife at the Marg, embedding it into the beast's chest.  
"Leave me here and go help Gamzee." He said gesturing to the behemoth standing over a tiny Gamzee as Gamzee ran to and fro throwing bottles of radioactive green acid. She turned quickly and pulled the clamp on her first glove, firing three bullets into one of the Marg's legs. She deftly switched the glove for an adamantine claw. Then she ran forward. Nepeta was graceful in battle. Flipping and dodging every swing of the Marg and landing her own blows. A gash here, a stab there. Then she ripped her claw up under the beast's armpit where he was most vulnerable, and she cut the arm clean away from its body. She then kicked off the falling arm and dove over the Marg's head. As she passed over she pulled the clamp on her second glove, firing three bullets right through the monster's soft skull. It fell with a loud crash, sending birds up into the sky. Gamzee wooped and Nepeta cheered. Karkat took a step to go and celebrate with them, when an arrow pierced the open wound on his leg. The last thing he saw was Nepeta running towards him as he crashed to the ground.


	3. Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sollux's point of view of Karkat's disappearance

Chapter 3  
The door slammed.  
"Fuck!" Sollux reprimanded himself.  
He trudged across the room, slamming the door to his room and he ran inside. He sat on his bed, running his hands through his hair.  
"Shit, shit, shit." He sighed.  
Feferi slowly creaked open the door.  
"You okay?...." She asked meekly.  
"No." Sollux groaned as he fell flat on his bed.  
"Want to talk about it?"  
"No. I'm going to go look for him before he gets into trouble."  
"I know he's angry because of me, so I'll stay here."  
"Ok, I'll be back soon."  
Sollux stepped outside, it was raining. Karkat would complain, he laughed. Then he headed to his car. It was a new one he bought after he started staying home from the hunts. They had never needed another car, so they had money on the side. First chance Sollux wanted to buy a motorcycle, but Feferi persuaded him into something more practical, a Lexus. He drove around for hours, not once glimpsing Karkat's gray van. He eventually pulled up to a bar, determined to drink away his sorrows. He strode through the doors and slumped onto a stool.  
"Can I get some Whiskey?"  
The bartender nodded to him and started making his drink. Sollux blew out a sigh and tapped his fingers on the counter. He heard two men walk up behind him.  
"Who the hell are you?" The asked in a harsh tone.  
"Just a guy who needs a drink."  
One of them grabbed his shoulder. Bad move. Sollux grabbed his wrist and flung him over the bar. He then turned and smashed his elbow into the other guys temple. He watched with amusement as the both groaned on the floor. His drink was sitting on the counter and he picked it up, taking a nice long sip. Men everywhere in the bar were standing up and moving towards him. He just shook his head laughing. He chugged the rest of his drink, and in a lighting fast movement threw it at one of the approaching men. The glass shattered on the man's nose, shoving bits of glass into his eyes and through the bridge of his nose. The man cried out and fell to the floor. The rest of them charged. One of them threw a clumsy right hook at Sollux's face, which he promptly ducked under. He then punched the man directly in the throat, crushing his larynx. Another man ran at him like a bull. Sollux tripped him and lifted his foot, sending the man tumbling through the air until he smashed his face on the edge of the bar. Sollux noticed one in the back pull a gun. He cursed to himself as he charged the crowd. He hopped one table and rolled under another. He stood face to face with the barrel of a gun. Without a moment's hesitation he knocked it aside and grabbed the man's throat. He then turned and threw the man into three of his comrades. Just the three other men drew pistols. This is it, Sollux thought to himself. Just then the men twitched, frozen in place.  
"Let's play fair boys." Said and seductive voice from the dark.  
Only seven red dots arranged in a hexagon were showing in the darkness. Then she walked forward slowly, her heeled boots tapping on the wooden floor. Then the men threw their guns aside.  
"There we go." She smiled.  
"Terezi." She drawled. "You're missing all the fun."  
Another troll appeared from the dark. Her tongue was constantly flicking out, as if she were tasting the air. She pulled out a cane and leaned on it.  
"Do we really have to do this Vriska? He looked as though he was handling it." Terezi said in a bored tone.  
"But they were using guns." Vriska whined.  
"Oh fine." Terezi laughed.  
The men recovered from their initial shock and charged the two women. Vriska just smiled, baring her teeth. She ran forward and her fist connected with a man's jaw, but she didn't flinch at all. Then Sollux saw it, just a glint. Her arm was metal. Terezi lashed out with her staff, catching a man across the face, and then it extended, smashing into another man's face with a crack. Sollux ran forward, vaulting a table. He kicked a man with both his feet and landed on the ground, his breath whooshed out of his lungs. He stood up in time to see Vriska connect her heel with the last man's temple. She smiled viciously as the man crumpled to the floor.  
"I haven't had that much fun in a while." She sighed.  
Terezi just chuckled.  
She then reached her hand to Sollux.  
"Terezi Pyrope, pleased to make your aquiantance."  
Just as Sollux was about to answer Vriska butted in.  
"I'm Vriska Serket." She smiled.  
"Well it's great to meet both of you." He smiled.  
They left the bar, filled with unconscious bodies, and walked to Sollux's car. Vriska looked kind of embarrassed and she looked at Sollux.  
"Something on your mind?" He asked.  
"Umm.....Well....We kind of need a place to stay." She asked meekly.  
She was clearly out of her element.  
"You could stay with me." He said.  
Relief poured onto her face as she showered him with gratitude.  
"Thank you thank you thank you thank you!"  
"Well you two did save my life."  
They all climbed into Sollux's car and they drove home. They pulled into the driveway and Sollux led them to hid door.  
"Now Feferi doesn't know you guys are here so don't take offense if she freaks a little."  
Terezi and Vriska nodded eagerly.  
"Fef?" The question hung in the air.  
"Guess she's sleeping or something."  
He tiptoed inside, putting a finger to his lips as he did so. They both nodded again and crept inside after him. He pointed to the couch, signaling that it pulled out into a bed. Vriska and Terezi worked slowly and as quietly as possible. Eventually they pulled out the bed and layed on it, whispering their thanks to Sollux. He snuck into his room, wincing as his door creaked. He looked as his bed and sure enough, Feferi lay there curled up under the covers. He silently pulled off his coat, boots, and jeans. He then shimmied quietly under the covers. He put his arms around Feferi and fell asleep.  
Sollux awoke the next morning to a gunshot and a scream. His arms were empty. He shot out of the bedroom, his bare feet slapping the wood flooring. He entered to see Vriska crawling away from Feferi, leaving a trail of blood. Feferi was holding her AK-47, its barrel smoking. She had shot Vriska in the knee when she discovered the two of them on the couch. Feferi was about to pull the trigger and shoot Vriska in the head when Sollux threw his hands forward.  
"FEF!" He roared.  
The AK flew from her hands and crashed into the wall. He looked down at his hands in awe, he didn't realize what he could do until now. Feferi looked at him in shock. Vriska was in tears and Terezi finally came forward to help her friend.  
"Sollux, where are your pants?" Terezi asked, a smile playing on her lips.  
This got Vriska to chuckle. Sollux hadn't realized he wasn't wearing pants. SHIT he thought and turned back to the bedroom. Now they think... He gestured for Feferi to follow him in. He slipped on a new pair of jeans and turned to face Feferi as she closed the door.  
"Who the hell are they!?" Feferi was fuming.  
"They saved my life last night." Sollux said curtly.  
Feferi looked at him with utter disbelief.  
"What happened!?"  
"I got into a bar fight and they pulled guns."  
Feferi ran up to him and hugged him.  
"You can't leave me." She whispered.  
"Don't put yourself in that much danger."  
Sollux just smiled down at her.  
"I'll always be in danger."  
They walked back into the living room and Sollux crouched next to Vriska and in one smooth movement reached into her knee and ripped out the bullet before she could react. She shrieked as her flesh squelched. He stepped back and threw the bullet into the trash. He then adeptly pulled out a roll of gauze and wrapped the wound. After he finished he just sat on the couch and blew out a sigh.  
"So..." Feferi said awkwardly.  
Sollux just started chuckling to himself. Eventually everyone joined in, and they were all laughing. Just then Sollux's phone rang. They all snapped out of it and he picked it up. A voice breathed on the other line.  
"If you want to save your friend you should head to Feran... Don't arrive too late."  
The voice sounded amused. The line cut dead and Sollux just sat staring at it. Feferi touched his arm and he snapped out of it.  
"We have to go save Karkat, he's in trouble."  
"Who's Karkat?" Terezi and Vriska said in unison.  
"My best friend." Sollux said with fire in his eyes.  
They all rushed out the door to the car. Sollux sat in his seat and started up the engine. The tires screeched as they sped out of the driveway. They were driving for an hour or so when Sollux cursed to himself.  
"Mother..."  
"What is it?" Feferi asked, reaching over.  
"I left my goddamn pistols at the house."  
"Do you have any spares?"  
"Yes, but they're in Karkat's van."  
'We could turn ba-" Vriska began, but Sollux cut her off.  
"NO. I'll just have to improvise."  
They drove quietly, no one wanted to upset Sollux any further. They burst into town at full speed. A human cop saw them and jumped. He fumbled with the clip on his pistol and pulled it free. Then he shot out their tires, and they rolled slowly to a stop. The policeman ran up to their window and started screaming.  
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!? JUST RUSHING INTO A POPULATED PLA-"  
Sollux had his hand balled into a fist, anger etched into his features. Veins popped out on his temple and arms. The officer was clutching his neck.  
"Sollux! What are you doing?" Feferi asked afraid.  
"Saving my friend." He said as he snapped the policeman's neck.  
No fingerprints were left, Sollux hadn't touched the man at all. He got out of the car and started walking towards then nearest bar. He strode in, slamming the doors open.  
"Have you seen another troll here?" He asked angrily.  
The bartender just scoffed at him. "Why should I tell you?"  
The bartender's head snapped back and he crumpled to the floor.  
"I don't have time to dawdle. Is anyone going to tell be?"  
A man stood shakily."I saw some trolls running towards the forest."  
"Thank you." Sollux turned and left.  
He emerged to see the group looking at him in earnest.  
"This way." He pointed towards the forest.  
He took off, running faster than he ever had in his life. The others struggling to catch up to him. He heard fighting and rushed forward, focusing on that sound with all he had. He only found the clearing in time to see Karkat drop, with Nepeta and Gamzee looking over at him. He immediately came to a conclusion. These people were attacking Karkat. He rushed forward, throwing his hands to the side, Nepeta and Gamzee flew in different directions and crashed to the ground. He lifted a branch and used telekinetic blades to shear a point on the end. He then threw it, focusing on propelling it forward. It slammed into Gamzee's arm as he stood, pinning him to a tree. He cried out and Nepeta looked up. Her eyes blackened as she stood. Sollux threw another branch at her, but she caught it in mid flight right in front of her face. She ran at Sollux, putting on both of her claws. She swiped and he dodged to the left. At this point the others rushed into the clearing. They immediately took in the scene, but they saw something Sollux didn't. The Marg and Feror. Vriska thrust her hands forward and Nepeta and Sollux froze.  
"Look around you Sollux!" Terezi said.  
"They were helping him!" Feferi yelled.  
Sollux's face relaxed as he looked around and saw the beasts.  
"Then who shot him?" Sollux asked, refusing to believe it.  
"I thought it was you." Nepeta spat.  
Sollux eyed her warily.  
"I'm gonna let you two go now." Vriska said slowly.  
"Don't kill each other."  
Karkat was stirring on the ground. He looked up and saw Gamzee. He rolled on the ground and pulled out his shotgun.  
"Freeze." He growled.  
Then he saw Sollux and froze.  
"Wha-?" He was speechless.  
Feferi rushed forward and kneeled beside him.  
"Are you okay?" She asked.  
"Yes! Go help Gamzee!" Karkat snapped.  
"Hey.." Sollux warned him.  
"Oh so you can try to kill my matesprit, but when I snip at yours you flip?"  
That took Sollux aback.  
"Matesprit?"  
"Yes." Karkat said, impatience intoned into his words.  
Nepeta crouched next to him, a concerned look on her face. She looked at the arrow, still lodged in his leg. She gave him a look that said "Brace yourself". He closed his eyes and nodded. She got a grip on the arrow and pulled, ripping it out.  
"AH!" Karkat cried.  
Nepeta threw the arrow to the side and caught Karkat as he passed out. Sollux lifted the arrow and brought it over. As it alighted in his hand he immediately noticed a strange insignia on the shaft. It was a gray U with a red squiggle through the middle. Sollux frowned and handed it to Vriska. The moment she saw the insignia she paled.  
"nononononononononono-" She was hyperventilating.  
"Vriska?" Sollux asked concerned.  
"NO!!" She shrieked and she fell to her knees, holding her hands to her ears.  
Terezi rushed over, shoving Sollux away. Vriska was just shaking her head, speaking to herself.  
"Vriska."  
"You are here with me." She said soothingly.  
"You are not there, you will never be there again."  
She kept repeating those words over and over till Vriska fell into her arms. Everyone just stared at them. Terezi looked up mouthing "Later". On that note they picked up the arrow and left, Nepeta holding up Karkat and Terezi holding up Gamzee. Nepeta put the motorcycle in the back of the van and placed Karkat into the passenger seat. Terezi brought Gamzee into the Lexus and sat in the middle, allowing Vriska to file in after her. They all drove home, the van in the lead. They pulled into the Gamzee's driveway in the dead of night. They all stumbled inside, visibly fatigued. Collapsing on couches, Vriska drifted off immediately. Gamzee strode over and started a fire. Terezi called everyone over to her couch, pulling some into a circle. Her face flickered in the firelight.  
"I met Vriska 6 years ago." Terezi looked sad, like this wasn't a pleasant memory.  
"She was huddled on the side of the road, shaking. She was missing an arm." Terezi blew out a sigh.  
"When I bent down to pick her up she grabbed my arm and looked me dead in the eyes. She said, help me." Terezi's eyes swam with tears.  
"I lifted her into the passenger seat of my car and brought her to the hospital where Tavros treated her. Her arm was cauterized and I asked for a prosthetic. This was how she got the metal arm. I brought her home and left her on my couch and went to sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night to her screams. She just kept repeating no, curled in a protective position. I coaxed her awake and told her the same lines you heard earlier. She just sobbed into my chest, her body limp and tired. I sat with her till she fell asleep, and then slept till morning. I woke first so I made breakfast." Karkat and Sollux exchanged a smile.  
"She walked over to the breakfast table and began to speak. She said she was imprisoned for years in a dark cell, never seeing the light of day. And then HE would come. She never described him to me except for the symbol on his shirt. The symbol you saw on the arrow today. It triggered a rush of memories her mind has been blocking out for years. Memories of torture, pain, anger. She told me that the shadows spoke to her, telling her stories and wild tales of escape. She tried over and over to escape but he always caught her, dragging her screaming back into the darkness. She said that the shadows told her one night to move immediately and she would make it, that as long as it was still there he couldn't catch her. Vriska left immediately and never looked back, she's been with me ever since."  
The all sat in silence, the gravity of the story washing over them. Tears ran freely down Terezi's face. Feferi was the first to leave, walking slowly back to her couch. Sollux went after her, and everyone trickled away till Terezi sat all alone. Sollux closed his eyes in the light of the dying fire and drifted to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is there a voice in the shadows? Or is Vriska insane?


End file.
